(These photos were posted to our Facebook Page on 4-19-2023 but we are sharing some of them here as well for those who do not have Facebook)
Well, it’s been over a year since the dogs moved to their current dungeon on Hill Rd in Grand Blanc in February 2022. They have been there for over a year and The Devoted Barn has never shown the true conditions of the inside of the building that allegedly is costing the rescue $8,000/ month to lease. At this point, these conditions are blatantly being concealed from the supporters and donors of the rescue. The ultra cropped images shown after some aesthetically pleasing contact paper was slapped on the wall are smoke and mirrors. Melissa claims to have an open door policy, but does she really? Make an appointment, ask to see the Dog House, show up with cameras rolling and let us know how well that’s received. As a “fully transparent” sanctuary, they should have ZERO issues with showing the level of care the animals are provided at any time.
We are here to show you what the truth is about where these dogs are being kept and how they are living. Keep in mind that while The Devoted Barn may not be breaking any laws that would give authorities the right to step in and do something, they are definitely not following ethical standards of an animal sanctuary. The lack of ethics is what should cause supporters and donors to stop and take pause. It’s not illegal to keep a dog crates for 23+ hours, but should they be? It’s not illegal to keep dogs in these conditions for their whole lives, but is it fair to? It’s not illegal to not commit resources and time to proper rehabilitation, but how does that increase the quality of these animals lives? It’s not illegal for dogs to be obese from lack of exercise and a junk diet, but how is that healthy for them?
This is the truth behind what donated dollars are supporting. There are no plans for these dogs to make their lives better and get them out of this hell. Their faces are the money makers for Melissa and the rescue, and that’s why little to no effort will be made to properly rehab them and place them in homes. If there were plans, we would all be hearing about them. In fact, people who have voiced desire to foster or adopt some of these dogs have been largely ignored.
In Newport and Holly these dogs lived in barns with no temperature control, dirt floors, were subject to rodents and never saw the light of day. In Grand Blanc, sure, they have heat and air conditioning and a crumbling dirt and concrete yard, but this is still NOT a quality space and is far from acceptable for animals supposedly living their lives out in a sanctuary.
For anyone who can look at these photos and say that these dogs have a great quality of life, we challenge you to ask yourself if you would let your dog stay in this facility for days, weeks, months, YEARS. If you hesitate at all you should be demanding that changes are made for these dogs!! These sweet souls didn’t ask for this and deserve to have a chance at fulfilling futures!
Be their voice.
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